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Growing Up Cheney

By 1980, Cheney was serving in the U.S. House of Representatives, and the family was living in McLean, Virginia. During Cheney’s 10 years in the House, either Liz or Mary would often accompany him on his frequent trips back to Wyoming. The “one-on-one excursions were a good chance to talk … to find out what was going on in their lives,” writes Cheney. On one of these trips, Mary told her father that she was gay. “I told her that I loved her dearly and that what was important to me was that she be happy,” Cheney recalls.
Above, the Cheney family (from left) Lynne, Dick, Liz, 12, and Mary, 10, at their home in McLean, Virginia in May 1980.